by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
The VyStar Credit Union branch at the Ed Ball Building on Hogan Street has been open for business for several weeks, but that didn’t stop more than 100 people from coming to the ribbon-cutting Wednesday morning.
The official ceremonial snipping was just part of a three-day celebration that also includes rolling billboards on bicycles and free water taxi rides across the river through Friday courtesy of VyStar.
Just about everybody who’s anybody with the 55-year-old community credit union attended, including President/CEO Terry West, who recalled the financial institution knew it was taking a chance a couple of years ago by opening a tiny office on Forsyth Street.
“We didn’t know if Downtown wanted VyStar when we opened that little branch, but pretty soon, people started asking for tellers and other services,” said West. “This new branch will help us achieve our goal to be the financial service center for any need whether it’s individual, family or business.”
Vice President and Downtown Branch Manager James Urban confirmed Downtown’s acceptance of VyStar – and particularly the location on Hogan Street – when he pointed out, “Our transaction volume quadrupled the first three weeks this new branch was open.”
West added it took only seven weeks to get the new office open after the City Council approved VyStar’s lease and said the credit union used only local designers, builders and contractors for the project.
“We reinvest more than $150 million into the local economy each year,” said West.
Then he looked around at the marble teller windows and the onyx floor and commented that due to being owned by and returning all profits to its members, “Our branches are not usually this fancy. We don’t build them like this, but we’ll rent it.”